KEEP ON PRAYING

Commentary: Psalms71-75. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hand of an unrighteous and cruel person; such is a proper definition of who the devil is. To be cruel is to be merciless and immeasurably wicked in dealings. It does not necessarily mean that the cruel person will be aggressive or harsh in relating to you but within the heart, evil is devised. The heart of the cruel is clearly defined in the scriptures

Proverbs 6:18 “An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,”

Proverbs 6:14 “Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.”

Psalms 36:4 “He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.”

This was the experience of the psalmist, the victim of cruelty. The life of the psalmist became an example to people through tribulations. His strength was only in the righteous God. In his prayers to God through his predicament, he asked God for His rescue.

Psalms 71:4 “Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.”

The beauty of the psalmist’s lamentation is that he acknowledged the fact that whatever God allowed, it is for a reason and towards a purpose. This was his consolation.

MLB Psalms 71:20-21 “Thou, who hast made (allowed) me experience troubles great and sore, wilt revive me again and wilt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou wilt add to my stature, and comfort me again.”

He believed God for a happy ending. To every genuine child of God, there is always a pathway to testimony and rejoicing as they pass through the sea of troubles.

MLB Psalms 66:6 “He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.”

God has promised His own children that when they pass through the waters, He will be with them, Isaiah43:2. His presence is the most important thing in the troubles of Christians. Christians definitely have and will have troubles but the difference between theirs and that of the unrighteous is that they will always come out of it well refined. They become examples of the awesomeness of God.

MLB Psalms 71:7 “I have been a marvel to many, but Thou art my strong refuge.”

Through their troubles, their lives are patterned after the righteousness of God. Unlike that of the wicked, it leads to total destruction.

The pathway to the testimony of a genuine Christian is prayer, to know and draw closer to Him the more, and studying the word of God, to receive daily strength.

Psalms 71:16 “I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.”

If you quit praying, you have departed from this pathway and one is disconnected from God; but if you press on praying, you are doing the right thing. There is only one thing you have to do before the arrival of your testimony, KEEP ON PRAYING. This is the example the psalmist showed us.

Let us seek for the old path where we could find rest. Let us listen to the trumpet’s sound, wherewith we could escape the calamity to come. Our reading for today is Psalms76-80. Keep the fire of burning and alive.